Shifter arrangement



1948- E. o. MERLINE 2,447,866

SHIFTER ARRANGEMENT Filed Sept. 28, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet l E4 WWW.

1948- E. o. MERLINE 2,447,866

SHIFTER ARRANGEMENT Filed Sept. 28, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 24, 1948 UNITEDv STATES OJ FF'ICE.

SHIFTER ARRANGEMENT Edwardsi). Mcrline, Detroit, Mich,, aSSi'gImr-to Normanlg. Boxwell, Detroit, Mich;

Application September 28, 1945, Serial'N0. 619;223'

8 Claims. I.

This invention relates to. improvements in shifter arrangements, and, refers particularly to a shifter-arrangement for attachment to a motor, primarily an electric motor, for operating a clutch on the motor shaft.

It is an object of the invention to provide a shifter arrangement including a baseplate-h aving bearings thereon for supporting a shifter rod for axial" movement, means for mounting the baseplate upon a motor, and a rod supported on the baseplat-efor axial movement in parallelism with the motorshaft so that a clutch upon the latterisgmoyed' into engaged or released position by a, conventional shifter yoke carried by and proiectingfrom. the rod upon movementof. the latter.

Another object of the invention is to provide a, shifter arrangement having adjustable-mount, ing means thereon so that the latter may be moved to the required positions for attachment to the conventional fastening means by which the end plates are secured to a motor frame. In this way Iaim to, provide a mechanism which may be mounted upon motors the fastening means for theend plates of which are differently spaced both transversely andlongltudinally, ofthe. 1110. torshaft'.

A further object ofthe invention is to provide such a shifter arrangement which is cheapand simple to manufacture and assemble, eflicient in operation. and which is so constructed that only a few different sizes need be manufactured to cover a relatively wide range of. motor sizes.

Havingv thus stated some of the obiects and advantages of the invention I will now describe it in detail with the aid of the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of my shifter arrangement mountedv on an electric motor.

Figure 2 is a plan view thereof.

Figure 3 is an end view, and

Figure 4 is a side elevation.

Figure 5 is a detail showing a slightly modified form wherein axial movement of the rod is obtained by electrical means.

Figure 6 is a perspective view showing a somewhat modified form of my shifter arrangement.

Figure 7 is a plan View of Figure 6, and

Figure 8 is an end view thereof.

I will first describe one of the many forms of clutch arrangements to which my invention may be advantageously applied. Referring to the drawings, I designates an electric motor having end plates 2 through which bolts 3 extend outwardly and'have nuts 4 on theirouterextremities to hold the said plates in position. The motor shaft 5 has a clutch plate B-thereon. and coaxial with the shaft iasecondsl'iaf-t I is suitably'supported and" has aclutch plate 8- mounted for axial movement thereon to coact with the-plate 6'. Axiallymovableon the-shaft! with the'plate- 8 is a collar 9 having aconventional yoke [0 in engagement therewith by movement of which ina direction parallel wtih the axes of the shafts 5 and l the clutch plate 8 is engaged with or released from the clutch plate 6.

H designates abaseplate having longitudinally aligned bearings l2 thereon whichsupporta-rod l3 for axial movement, and mounted on the s'aidrod for movement therewith is a yokel-U; Suitable means are provided for supporting the baseplate i l upon motors of various sizes so that elongated slots extending; parallel; with the: rodsi-3" areformed through opposite sides of' thebase plate H. I5 denotes bearings. havinglaterallyprojectingelementsi6 thereon threaded at their- IT one of which projects outer extremities through eachio'f the slots l '4 and has a nut I8 on its outer end to hold its bearing I5 relative to the-baseplate. Extending through each pairof bearings Iii parallel with the rod- I3 is a shaft I9 (Dneach shaft, usually outwardly ofthe beaningsi5, two members-2 0 are pivotallymounted:

Formed through each member is an aperture Zi for the passage of one 0ftheb01ts-3E Thusby tightening" the nuts 4 the members are securely heldinposition and the baseplate H rigidly supported? As the members 20 are pivoted on the shafts l9 their apertures 2t may be variously spaced transversely of the motor I-- to suitthe transverse spacing of the bolts 3. Again as the members are also axially movable on the shafts [9 their spacing along the latter is subject to material adjustment. Consequently a shifter unit of any given size may be satisfactorily applied to motors of different sizes.

In Figures 6-8 inclusive, the base plate II is provided with apertures I la. in the form of elongated slots extending from opposite ends of the baseplate H and in axial alignment with the bearings l2. Projecting through each aperture I ia is an element liia threaded at its extremity Ila. to receive a nut I8a by which the said element is secured to the baseplate. Formed on the opposite ends of the elements are members 20a each having an aperture 2 la therethrough for the passage of one of the bolts 3 therethrough. In the construction herein shown the element Mia and the member 20a consist of an eyebolt so that when the nuts IBa are tightened the underside of the baseplate is drawn down upon the frame of the motor I.

To move the yoke I the rod l3 may be moved axially in any preferred manner. The arrangement shown in Figures 1 to 4 includes a slot 22 formed through the rod [3 intermediately of its length through which a lever 23 extends which is pivotally supported on a pin 24 projecting from the baseplate II. In Figures 6 to 8 axial movement is imparted to the rod l3 by a lever 23a pivoted at 24a on the baseplate II. In that case however a pin 35 extends from the rod I3 and engages a slot in the lever 23a so that movement of the latter also moves the rod axially. If desired electrical means may be used for moving the rod l3 axially such as a solenoid 25 illustrated in the modification shown in Figure 5.

While in the foregoing the preferred embodiments of the invention have been described and shown it is understood that the constructions herein shown are susceptible to such further alterations and modifications as fall Within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A shifter arrangement including a baseplate having aligned bearings thereon, a rod supported for axial movement in the bearings, means for moving the rod axially, members carried by the baseplate for attachment to opposite ends of a motor for supporting the baseplate and holding the rod parallel with the motor shaft, and a yoke fixed on the rod.

2. A shifter arrangement including a slotted baseplate having aligned bearings thereon, a rod supported for axial movement in the bearings, means for moving the rod, elements projecting through the slots and secured at one extremity to the baseplate, members carried by the elements at their opposite extremities, means for securing the members to opposite ends of a motor and supporting the baseplate with the rod in parallelism with the motor shaft, and a yoke fixed on the rod.

3. A shifter arrangement including a baseplate having aligned bearings thereon, a rod axially movable in the bearings, means for moving the rod, a motor including a motor shaft, means carried by the baseplate for attachment to opposite ends of a motor, a second shaft in alignment with the motor shaft, a clutch mechanism for engaging and disengaging the two shafts, and a yoke fixed on the rod in engagement with the clutch mechanism.

4. In an arrangement of the character described, the combination with a motor having a shaft projecting from one end and fastening means extending from opposite ends, a second shaft supported in alignment with the motor shaft, and a clutch mechanism for engaging the two shafts, a base plate, means carried by the baseplate for engaging the fastening means and supporting the plate, aligned bearings on the baseplate parallel with the motor shaft, a rod mounted for axial movement in said bearings, means for moving the rod, and a yoke fixed on the rod in engagement with the clutch mechanism.

5. The combination set forth in claim 1, wherein the members are supported for pivotal movement relative to the elements.

6. The combination set forth in claim 1, wherein the members are mounted for movement relative to the baseplate.

'7. In an arrangement of the character described, the combination with a motor having fastening means projecting from opposite ends and a shaft extending from one of said ends, a second shaft mounted in alignment with the motor shaft, coacting coupling means on the two shafts, the coupling means on one of the shafts being axially slidable and including a yoke engaging member, of a baseplate, aligned bearings on the baseplate parallel with the motor shaft, a rod mounted for axial movement in the bearings, means for moving the rod axially, a yoke fixed on the rod in engagement with the yoke engaging member, elements supported by the baseplate, shafts dependingly carried by the elements, and members mounted on the dependingly carried shafts engaged by the fastening means whereby the baseplate is supported by the.

motor.

8. A shifter arrangement including a baseplate slotted from opposite extremities and having bearings thereon in alignment with the slots, a rod mounted for axia1 movement in the bearings, means for moving the rod axially, elements extending through the slots, means securing one extremity of each element on the baseplate,

; members integral with the opposite extremities ED'WARD O. MERLINE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Taigman May 20, 1941 

